Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2004 number 3

The environmental role of sulphur-containing compounds originated from industrial activities is considered. The priority sulphur-containing atmospheric pollutant is sulphurous anhydride (sulphur dioxide) which is emitted by many industrial facilities. When present in the air in concentrations above the maximum permissible level, this compound is hazardous for living organisms and can cause their death. Expansion of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere is of local character. The major part of this compound is deposited on the underlying surface near the sources (at a distance of 0,5-5 km) together with gaseous and solid emissions. Only aerosol compounds are included into long-range transport thus forming the background concentrations in the atmosphere. For sulphur dioxide, the soil serves as a geochemical barrier in which this compound is substantially or fully mitigated, depending on the buffer properties of the soil, as well as on the properties of the corresponding products in emissions. The sink of man-caused sulphur dioxide in the regions where the natural sulphur content of the soil is low causes enrichment of the soil compensating for the deficiency of this nutritive element in plants.